I'll be at an artist reception for the following show. Come join me and see my newest crown. -M.Lu

​VISUALIZING CHANGE: ARTISTS SPEAK OUT FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE IN ASBURY PARK

Asbury Park, NJ - A group of 8 artists will present Visualizing Change: ArtistsSpeak Out at Heaven Gallery from Saturday, April 28th through Mother's Day May 13th. Heaven Gallery is located at 721 Cookman Ave in Asbury Park, NJ. Opening reception with free refreshments is on April 28th from 7 pm - 10 pm.

A passion for social justice was the instigation of the show. Each artist has chosen an issue of social justice that has a personal meaning to them. Some works are in-your-face obvious and others are more nuanced, that will reward you on reflection. Mostly paintings, the show also includes unusual 3D work (a crown for Trayvon Martin) and even a small video art installation.

The show reflects a return to the times when an artist's work was valued not for what price the work was sold, but for what the work had to say. Currently, there's a mood in the country, some might even say outrage, that in 2018 it's time to break the silence and to speak out on social issues.

The group is thrilled to present in Asbury Park, which is becoming well known as an art destination on the Jersey Shore and especially at Heaven Gallery where owner Malcom Navias is known for his support of local artists. The artists in the show hail from Asbury Park and other NJ towns, Brooklyn, NY, and Austin, Texas.

Today my artisan jewelry studio is open to the public 1pm - 5ish.Come to 66 S.Main St., Ocean Grove NJ, Studio 4B on main floor and find new and inexpensive items that are not available online. There are huge savings on samples from the website collections, as I'm clearing out my inventory and starting anew. I also have stones to choose for your custom order.

Small business shopping is all over Asbury Park today. See Asbury Park events for a list of special artisan markets today. I am only a 5 minute walk from the shops and restaurants on Cookman Ave and the famous Asbury Park Festhalle and Biergarten, which is hosting a artisan market today. There's also an artisan market in the Grand Arcade at Convention Hall on the boardwalk and a third at The Asbury Park Brewery. When you're walking down Cookman Ave, stop in at my fave shop Rebel Supply. They have some great sales going on today.

I am located in the beautiful Jersey Shore Arts Center at the gates to Ocean Grove NJ. It is a former high school built in the 1800s that has been lovingly restored into a facility for arts and performances. It offers free parking! The building hosts weekly events. Today there is a special movie viewing of White Christmas with photo ops and more, at 2pm and 7pm.

I hope you enjoy your day of local shopping and fun. Please mention this post and say hello!

My inspiration for these charm necklaces are the simple collections of shells, beach glass, crosses and coins that I see strung on leather cords, worn by those who walk the beaches here on the Jersey Shore. Each charm is a found object or a gift representing a personal memory or a talisman of good luck. Do you wear something like that? Let me know what it is in the comments. I'm always interested in how the soul is reflected in what we choose to wear about our necks. It's our most ancient and most human impulse.

I added these unique, one of a kind charm necklaces to the Pirate Tides Collection. Each of these is a treasure and has a special story to tell. They will reveal the story to you, as you wear them on your life journey. They are made to layer easily with your other tokens you collect along the way. I have had so much fun making them. Take a look by clicking each picture below. If one of them speaks to you, please consider buying it. There will never be another one like it, when it's gone.

Eternal Circles - These are the shapes I care most about. There are no points, no hardness. There is only softness, acceptance, wisdom, ancient intuition. The Halo, the Moon, the Spiral, the 12 divisions in a rosette and the Swirl are included in this form.

White Gold isn't Gold. It is an alloy (mixture) of white metals, usually cheap Nickel, with yellow gold. Platinum white gold is an exception and worth the extra cost.

Rhodium Plating is what is making the silver and some white gold items sparkle. It is a process of usually adding Nickel , a cheap and highly allergic metal, and then plating with nasty chemicals. It can rub off quickly to a dull gray or tarnish. (Again, Platinum is an exception.)

10K gold is less than 50% gold, which means it is mostly cheaper and tarnishable metals. Most jewelers don't want to work with it. Some countries outside the US don't consider it gold.

Most of the products in chain jewelry stores are made in overseas factories, paying workers low "slave" wages.

That impressive thick looking ring or bracelet is actually hollow, made with such thin metal you will be back soon to repair the dents.

Your custom made piece by a big chain store is going to look much like a million other pieces. They will use components that are mass produced.

You will get better quality materials and design by buying antique or studio jeweler made pieces. The quality of most new gold and silver jewelry has drastically gone down in the past 40 years as large chains and cable TV jewelry sellers switched to overseas suppliers.

That item is not made to last or be repairable. In the past, most gold and sterling silver jewelry was made to be repairable and a potential heirloom. Now, the factory made items are made to be disposable. Independent jewelers who do repairs are finding it often impossible to repair newly made items. Some now refuse to repair items from shopping networks or large chain stores.

Buying quality made jewelry takes some research. Your best bet is to start by avoiding the large chain or cable TV network shopping channels. Seek out the Independent jewelry shops or studio jewelers selling items they made themselves at artisan markets and shows or online. Ask who made the item, where was it made and how was it made. If buying online, note the country it is shipped from. Another alternative is to ask the Independent jeweler if they have any antique estate sale items.

An informed customer is the best customer. Good luck in your search for that special piece. Let me know if I can help you. You can add your questions or comments below or contact me directly.

So, I have struggled to "think big" in the way that most business consultants advise.

I often read blogs that tell me how to improve my business. One thing they all seem to recommend is "Think Big".

Jewelry that matters - word.

The problem is, I've never wanted to have a big business. All I have ever wanted was to be able to make my work for a sustainable amount, delivering it to people who truly want it and appreciate it.

Jewelry That Matters

I have no desire to have any employees, or a big space, or even fame. I'm really happy just sitting at my bench, carving metal. listening to music, knowing the piece I'm working on will be worn by a person who loves it.

If I could think big, it would be to find a way to enable others to see that every person has something to contribute to the good of mankind. When any one person is supressed from contributing, then it is a huge loss, not just for that person, but for you and me and everyone else.

Imagine

So, how can I let others know this, when I am just a mere jewelry maker? Maybe I need to think small. As small as a word, that I can engrave.

Words hold great power, especially when they are written. Let's start small and if one person becomes more accepting or a little kinder, then our world will be a better place.

The Power of Words

I am dreaming of Words, mostly on metal, in the form of pins, charms, pendants and earrings.

This past weekend I went to the NY NJ Gem Show, held in Edison NJ. There are very few gem shows in the northeast. I am lucky this one is a short travel distance from me. I go every year and always find a few treasures.

My favorite colors are blues of the water and sky. There are three Lapis stones here that I find magical. I can't wait to set them into something beautiful. There are also two incredible turquoise triangles that will make a great pair of earrings. The rough, raw turquoise I will use for rings. The two stones on top right are Shattuckite from Congo. In the center is a sprinkle of clear Herkimer Diamonds (quartz) that are only found in New York state.

Here are more earthy colored stones. I couldn't resist them. The two cross shapes are cultured pearls. They will be perfect for something to add to the Crosses and Saints Collection. In the center are sprinkles of warm Amber from Poland. An interesting Dinosaur Bone stone is top right , in reds and gray. The two large oval stones on bottom are brown Picture Jasper and a Royal Imperial Jasper from Mexico.

Do you have any ideas for what I should make to set these stones? Let me know if anything here speaks to you.

It must have been all the chocolate Easter candy I've been eating this week. I was inspired to make four new crosses this week. They are all the same size, but each has a different design on the front. I think my favorite is the one with all the spirals. As with most of my handmade jewelry, I think these are appropriate for man or woman.

Mismatched Vintage Saints Medals

I also made more earrings for the asymmetrical earring a day challenge. One mismatched pair resulted from my cleaning up two tiny little Catholic medals. I handcrafted little posts with rings in sterling silver. I think they are so cute. I love to make jewelry that has meaning and I think I succeeded this week.

You can find all of these crosses and earrings in the Crosses and Saints Collection. Better yet, just click on the photos below to go directly to the item page.

Now that 3 months have gone by, I think it's time to tell you about a challenge I joined for 2015. The challenge is called Earring a Day 2015. It's a 365 challenge which means the goal is to create one per day for a year. I've already failed at that - but now my goal is to make 365 by the end of the year.

The challenge is to make a single earring each day. Why a single earring and not a pair? Because there should be no duplicate. Two of the earrings will create an asymmetrical pair.

I have a category in my shop, under the Earrings section, called Asymmetrical Earrings. This is where you will find all the earrings I make for the challenge. Some are sold in asymmetrical pairs and some are sold as a single earring. Be sure to read the full description orcontact me if it is not clear to you.

This challenge was created by Victoria Takahashi, a very talented artisan jeweler who runs a shop named Experimetal on Etsy. Please check out her shop and other artisan jewelers who have joined the challenge. You can create your own "pair" of mismatched earrings by browsing all our shops.